The 2017 Plebiscite and the Push for Statehood

Ricardo Roselló, the governor of Puerto Rico, signed a law for the Immediate Decolonization of Puerto Rico, which establishes that a plebiscite will take place on June 11, 2017. As the article explains, this law declares that, if statehood were to win, a process would immediately take place in order for Puerto Rico to join the Union as a 51st state. The government promotes this plebiscite as an instrument to solve the Island’s colonial condition.

This article presents the perspective of various Puerto Ricans in relation to the impending plebiscite where they will vote on the Island’s political status: many feel that the financial crisis is tied to Puerto Rico’s unique legal status and they all express a desire to change the status quo. The author explains the active debate that has occurred leading up to the plebiscite. For example, the Independence Party is pushing for a boycott. Although statehood is expected to win, it is doubtful whether the results will produce any change since Congress is highly unlikely to ratify it.

This article seeks to clarify the many discussions regarding the validity of the Puerto Rican plebiscite vote. The Puerto Rican government had to revise the ballot language in order for the federal government to approve it. However, to the dismay of the statehood party, it is still doubtful whether the federal government supports the plebiscite’s language and will honor the results. Furthermore, without the Department of Justice’s approval, the Puerto Rican government, which is undergoing a massive debt crisis, will have to provide funds to cover the vote’s expenses.

In order to understand the results of Puerto Rico’s plebiscite, one has to take into consideration the fact that opposition parties boycotted the election and merely 23 percent of registered voters cast ballots (instead of the typical 80 percent). These circumstances and the fact that the government held the election without money or approval from the Justice Department, makes it difficult for the Puerto Rican governor to ask the federal government to honor the results. The author of this article contextualizes the plebiscite within the Island’s financial problems, explaining that many who voted for statehood considered this vote a route towards solving the fiscal crisis.

This article details the results of Puerto Rico’s plebiscite, explaining why they are fraught and likely to be ignored by Congress. The authors compare this plebiscite’s turnout to those of past plebiscites and elections. Furthermore, they describe the protests that have occured as a response to the Island’s economic conditions. Many feel that mobilization is a more effective way to face the fiscal crisis than polls.

The Puerto Rican government signed the Law for Congressional Equality and Representation of American Citizens in Puerto Rico. This article explains the Commission that this law creates and its purpose, which is to lobby Congress to honor the results of the plebiscite. The law does not provide details regarding how the Commission will be funded.

The author of this article analyzes how American newspapers discussed Puerto Rico’s plebiscite, how this can shape the U.S. government’s point of view, and, in turn, how this affects Puerto Ricans. He points out that media articles have emphasized the low participation of voters and the extremely high margin by which statehood won. The author explains the reasons why this plebiscite will be seen as illegitimate in the eyes of the U.S. government. Furthermore, he argues that the plebiscite and the conditions in which it took place actually diminishes the possibility of Puerto Rico ever becoming a state.

This news article discusses how the Puerto Rican Independence Party positioned itself regarding the 2017 plebiscite. Its members were against the inclusion of the colonial territorial status as an alternative on the ballot; they considered this an act of submission to American politics and, therefore, a loss of credibility of the statehood party. Consequently, they urged Puerto Ricans to boycott the plebiscite.

Rafael Hernández Colón, an ex-governor of Puerto Rico, critiqued many decisions made by the statehood party related to the 2017 plebiscite, including the alternatives and the wording of the ballot. This news article elucidates his argument about including the alternative of ELA, or “free associated state.” He declared that the plebiscite is irrelevant if the Federal Justice Department does not approve the ballot’s options.

Alongside other political parties, the Partido del Pueblo Trabajador (PPT) urged for a boycott of the Puerto Rican 2017 plebiscite. They consider it to be a waste of the Island’s resources and incapable of solving Puerto Rico’s colonial status. This news article describes various critiques of the plebiscite by different party members. For instance, Rafael Bernabe, the PPT ex-candidate for Governor stated that a constitutional status assembly would be a better mechanism to challenge Puerto Rico’s territorial status.